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ASYMCA Names Military Family Week Contest Winners

By Andree SwansonSpecial to American Forces Press Service

SPRINGFIELD, Va., March 26, 2001  A third-grade Air Force girl captured the judges' attention in the sixth annual Armed Services YMCA art contest with her pencil drawing of her family's reunion after a deployment.

The family's reunion after a deployment was the subject of Heather Burke's winning entry in the Armed Services YMCA art contest.(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Heather Burke, daughter of Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert and Marietta Burke of Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, wins a $500 U.S. Savings Bond and will be featured on a poster for National Military Family Week, Nov. 18-25 this year.

More than 2,200 children from kindergarten to sixth grade entered this year's contest, a record number of entries. Winners from all five services and the National Guard will be placed on the poster. Besides Heather, they are:

All first- and second-place artwork may be viewed at the Armed Services YMCA Web page at www.asymca.org.

The Armed Services YMCA and GEICO insurance sponsor the annual National Military Family Week poster art contest. The week recognizes the contributions and sacrifices of military families in support of their service member. For more information, contact the Armed Services YMCA at 703- 866-1260, or send e-mail to militaryfamilyweek@asymca.org.

(Andree Swanson works for the Armed Services YMCA in Springfield, Va.)